Hollow shelf



May 31, 1938.; wHlTE 2,118,910

' HOLLOW SHELF Filed July 22, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l MM ifNVEA/Tm.

(2. WHITE HOLLOW SHELF May 31, 1938.

Filed July 22, 1933 VENTOR.

y 1938. c. WHITE 2,11s,9w

HOLLOW SHELF I Filed July 22, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 4 MEVENTOR.

Patented May 31, 1938 NlrEo STATES PATENT I,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to anovel form of a refrigerator shelf of hollow design.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedform of heat exchange unit which is cheaply and easily constructed, iscapable of serving the dual purposes of a food shelf and a heat exchangeunit, thus effecting a great saving of space.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a heatexchange unit which can be used as an evaporator, or cooling unit, orcan be used as an apparatus for cooling drinking water, beverages orother fluids.

It is a further object of my invention to provide, as accessory to thehollow food shelf when used 'for chilling water, beverages or otherfluids, a

valve of remote control design which will restrain the fluid at a pointinside the chamber of the refrigerator, while providing adirectconnected, mechanically operated control device located at a pointoutside the refrigerator.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of this invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in which are incorporatedheat exchange units in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the elements shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the element shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 to 9 are isometric views, partly in section, showing certainstructural features constituting part of my invention;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of an outlet means utilized in combinationwith the heat exchange unit of Figs. 1-9;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view partially insection showing one method ofsupporting the shelf with respect to the refrigerator; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view partially broken away and illustrated in sectionto show the path of the water through the ducts.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the disclosure of thisinvention is indicated in Fig. 1 in which a hollow shelf I displaces theusual evaporator. This evaporator shelf will be suitably connected to acompressor unit by means of pipe lines 2 and 3. Automatic operation ofcompressor and evaporator shelf will be accomplished by,

means of suitable thermostatic control appara- -l (or. cc-99) tus, notdetailed here, as being immaterial to the disclosure of this invention.

If, however, it is desired to make use of this invention to serve as ameans for cooling drinking water, beverages or other fluids, it may beinstalled as indicated at 4. Here it displaces one of the usual wireshelves in a refrigerator. Water to be chilled for drinking purposes maybe obtained from domestic water supply piping located in basement,through branch pipe line 5, thence through inlet pipe 6, or, if desired,water, beverages or other fluids may be obtained from another sourcesuch as an inverted bottle I through pipe line 'lato inlet pipe 6.Fluids introduced in this manner to the hollow shelf will quicklyacquire the temperature of the surrounding medium and may be withdrawnfrom valve 8 as desired.

The heat exchange member shown at l and i of Fig. 1, and also in Figs. 2and 3, comprises a plurality of passes of a duct member which may beconstructed of a unitary piece of bent tubing or may be built of aplurality of parts similarly arranged or constructed in accordance withthe disclosure of Figs. 4-9 as herein further set forth.

Figs. 4-9 illustrate a number of structural features which constitutepart of my invention. In these figures the numeral 9 representsgenerally a support member for the heat exchange unit.

In Fig. 4 is shown such unit constructed from rectangular ducts Ill andIII. I

A further modification of the heat exchange unit is shown in Fig. 5which comprises a platelike structure fabricated from parallel platemembers 03 and it which are separated by spacers it to achieve desiredcapacity. These spacers serve the further purpose of maintainingstructural rigidity and also providing a sinuous path for the confinedfluid by means of alternate shortened ends of the spacers. In structuresof this kind ample space will be provided at back and sides of shelf, asi6, for circulation of the surrounding 'medium as shown by arrows ii.

In Fig. 6 is depicted a form of this invention in which two tubularheaders lying in the same plane on opposite sides of the chamber areconnected by transverse tubular members H. These transverse members aresuitably screwed, or otherwise fastened in the header members. I mayemploy a combination of the structural features disclosed in Fig. 4 inconnection with those in Fig. 6, as for example, rectangular headerswith tubular transverse members, or vice versa.

The unit shown in Fig. '7 differs from that of .Fig. 5 in that noprovision is made for spacing of such unit from the walls of thesurrounding chamber. In lieu of such spacing there are providedperforations 20 which serve to furnish adequate circulation.

The design shown in Fig. 8 is similar to that of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3,exceptthat the bent portions of the unit are commercial return bendcastings.

The modification shown in Fig. 9 is that of placing one or both of theheader members, as l9, in a plane other than that of' the principalplane of the unit. A header so located is connected suitably throughmembers l2 to the main portion, or transverse members ll of the unit.

It is here indicated that I contemplate that the transverse members ofany type of hollow shelf may lie in the position indicated in this, thepreferred embodiment of my invention, or if desired, may lie in adirection at right angle to that shown. It is to be understood that thecomponent parts of the unit as disclosed in Figs. 4-9 will beinterconnected suitably through such mechanical means as is deemedexpedient as, for example by threaded, brazed, soldered, welded or otherjoints. It is further to be understood that such baflies may be providedas will effect a sinuous path, or a plurality of parallel paths for theconfined fluids as is well understood in the arts. The shelf, if deemedex edient, may be made as a unit by casting, or moulding.

Fig. 11 shows more clearly the arrangement of header members I9 atopposite ends of the shelf and above the plane thereof connected to thetransverse members ll through members l2 as shown. The shelf portionconstituted by members Il may be supported by members 9 with respect tothe side walls of the: refrigerator.

The remote seat valve of Fig. 10 comprises a casting 2| of lengthsufficient to pass through the wall of the chamber for which it isdesigned, providing convenient clearances at both its extremities. Thevalve is shown in this drawing at open position. The valve stem 22,lengthened to meet the requirements, is actuated by push button 23 foropening and by coil spring 24 for closing. This action operates disc 25upon valve seat 26. Concentric ali znment of disc to seat is maintainedby center post 21 moving in orifice of guide frame 28. fluid fromleaking at the valve stem orifice. Pipe connection 3llallows fluidconfined in the heat exchange member disclosed above to pass to elbow3l, thence through the valve seat to the body of the valve and'out atthe nozzle 32 to be used as required.

It is here indicated that I contemplate that the component parts of thisinvention, as disclosed in Fig. 10, is a preferred embodiment of thisvalve and may be fabricated and assembled as disclosed, or may be variedto special uses. For example, the valve may be actuated by lever, bythreaded stem, or other means, and the nozzle may be threaded to receivehose connection or other changes made not material to the significanceof this invention, viz, that of a mechanically operated valve, the bodyand exposed stem of which are of sufficient length so that the end ofthe valve containing the seat and disc or other closing device may belocated at a point within an enclosed space, while the end of the valvewhich presents the handle or operating device is located at a pointoutside the enclosure forwhich it is designed.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed constitutes a preferred form. it is understood that the otherforms Packing nut 29 prevents might be adopted, all coming within thescope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a refrigerator, a cabinet, shelf-supporting means, a cooling unitforming a-horizontal shelf and carried by said shelf-supporting means,said cooling unit comprising a plurality of parallel ducts spacedsufliciently close together to retain small articles to be stored insaid cabinet, said ducts continuing in a vertical plane on one or morewalls of the cabinet in an upward direction from said shelf, and meansconnecting the ends of said ducts above the plane of the shelf to permitflow of fiuid therethrough, the horizontal portion of said cooling unitoccupying substantially the entire available horizontal area of saidcabinet, said shelf supporting means engaging said cooling unitsubstantially in the plane of said parallel ducts for supporting saidcooling unit from the walls of said cabinet.

2. In a refrigerator, a cabinet, shelf-supporting means, a cooling unitforming a horizontal shelf and carried by said shelf-supporting means,said cooling unit comprising a plurality of parallel ductsspacedsufiiciently close together to retain small articles to be storedin said cabinet, opposed header members interconnecting the ends of saidducts, one header member being disposed above the plane area of thehorizontal shelf formed by said cooling unit and operating to provide apath for fluid, and fluid inlet and outlet connections for said coolingunit, said shelf sup-'- porting means engaging said cooling unitsubstantially in the plane of said parallel ducts for supporting saidcooling unit from the walls of said cabinet.

' 3. In a refrigerator, a cabinet, shelf-supporting means, a coolingunit forming a horizontal shelf and carried by said shelf-supportingmeans, said cooling unit comprising a plurality of parallel ducts spacedsufiiciently close together to retain small articles to be stored insaid cabinet, fluid inlet and outlet pipe connections for said ducts,and means laterally coextensive with said ducts and interposed betweenone of said pipe connections and said ducts and extending above theplane of said shelf for increasing the external area and fluid capacityof said ducts and forming part of said cooling unit, said shelfsupporting means engaging said cooling unit substantially in the planeof said parallel ducts for supporting said cooling unit from the wallsof a horizontal shelf, held in position by said shelf supporting means,said cooling unit comprising a plurality of parallel ducts, assembledclosely in even alignment to provide by themselves alone a suitablysmooth and safe surface for the retention of small articles andcontainers to be stored in said food chamber, the main portion of saidducts, forming said cooling unit and shelf, lying in ahorizontal plane,the secondary portion, or portions thereof extending upwardly inrightangular relation thereto and terminating in headers at oppositeends thereof above the plane of the shelf, whereby the surface area ofthe cooling unit is augmented and the internal capacity thereof isincreased, said cooling unit being provided with inlet and outletopenings, and the horizontal portion thereof occupying substantially theentire available horizontal area 7 within said food chamber.

CARL WHITE.

